Switchboard for illuminating electric-lamp signs.



N0. 702,|49. Patented lune l0, |902. M. NORDEN L. S. CRANDALL.SWITCHBOARD FOR ILLUMINATING ELECTRIC LAMP SIGNS.

(Application filed Mar. 1Q, 1902.)

No. 702,I49. Patented lune I0, |902. M. NOBDEN & L. S. CRANDALL.SWITCHBOARD FOB ILLUMINATING ELECTRIC LAMP SIGNS.

(Application led Mar. 19, 1902.)

2 ShaetsSheet 2,

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

M ORTIMER NORDEN, OF NEV YORK, AND LUOIEN S. ORANDALI., OF

BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.

SWITCHBOARD FOR ILLUMINATING ELECTRIC-LAMP SIGNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,149, dated J' unel0, 1902.

Application iiled March 19, 1902. Serial No. 98,883. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that we, MOETIMER N ORDEN, residing at the borough ofManhattan, and LUOIEN S. CRANDALL, residing at the borough of Brooklyn,in the city and State of New York, citizens ofthe United States, haveinvented an Improvement in Switchboards for Illuminating Electric- LampSigns, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to devices for simultaneously displaying at apredetermined Vspot several electricslamp signs of numerals or letters,the numerals constituting a number or the letters a Word. Theseelectric-lamp signs are such as are shown in design patents, dated .Iuly23, 1901, Nos. 34,848 and 34,849.

In our present invention several monograms of lamps are simultaneouslyoperated by a device consisting of parallel series of spring-actuatedcircuit-selectors arranged to lcontact with coi-respondugly-arrangedcircuit-Wires, the coacting groups thereof being determined byperforated cards acting similarly to the cards of the Jacquard loom. Thecards are received one at a time in a receptacle embracing the groups ofcircuit-wires. A card covers all of the circuit-wires except thosepredetermined according to the letters or numerals to be displayed, andthese are exposed by the openings of tlie card and permit the passage ofthe springsactuated circuit-selectors to electric contact therewith Whensaid circuit-selectors are sw ung to place and at which time the variouselectric contacts are made and the circuit established. The circuit isbroken with the return movement of the parts.

In the operation of the device the parts are so arranged and timed intheir movements that the circuit-selectors are brought to place beforethe electric contact is made and the circuit established, and saidcontact is broken and the current shut off before the separation of thecircuit-selectors from the Contact Wires is eifected. Therefore there isin the operation of the devices no sparking which would have a tendencyto injure the parts.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation representing our improvement.Fig. 2 is a 'Vertical cross-section of the same. Fig. 3 1s a partialplan of the parts shown Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing theparts as separated in contradistinction to the closed position shown inFigs. l, 2, and 3. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the face-plate,showingthegroups of circuit-wires and the receptacle for the perforated cards.Fig. 6 is an elevation of the back or inner face of the device carryingthe spring-actuated circuit-selectors, and Fig. 7 is an elevation of aperforated card.

IVe prefer to employ a case of insulating material for the group ofcircuit-Wires comprising a back plate 2, side plates 3, and a face-plate4. In this faceplate 4 from one side-that is,'from the left hand, Fig.5, toward the right hand-is a receptacle 5, with opposite grooved edgesadapted to receive the perforated card. The circuit-wires which extendto the monogram of lamps are shown at 7, and where they pass throughthis plate 4 they are preferably surrounded by tube-sections 6. Thesecircuit-Wires are arranged in parallel, horizontal, and vertical rows atpredetermined spaced-apart intervals. As shown in Fig'. 5, there arethree parallel horizontal rows and eight parallel vertical rows.

The switch is preferably composed of the base-plates S i), to which areconnected pivotposts l0 1l, and the blade-bars d l) are pivoted to theposts lO ll. The spring-clips l2 13, with which the opposite ends of thebladebars come into electrical connection, are secured to base-plates 14and l5, and the several base-plates S, E), 14, and l5 are secured to theface of the plate 4.

Between the blade-bars d b there are insulating-material cross-bars c d,a handle 1G being securely connected to the cross-bar c and thecross-bar d on its rear face being recessed and curved for a bow-springe', hereinafter described. A` hinge formed of plates e c' is employed,the plate e being secured to the faceplate 4 by screws, with one end ofthe plate e bolted to the base-plate 8. A blockf of insulating materialis provided with parallel, horizontal, and vertical rows of offsetapertures spaced apart between the centers to agree with thecircuit-Wires 7, and the plate e2 covers or overlies the outer surfaceof this block f and is secured thereto, the plate c of the hinge beingsecured to the plato c2 and.

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the blockf and hinging the block lo the faceplate 4.

Ve employ a helical spring g, received in a recess in the face-plate 4at one end and at the other end in a shallow recess in the block f, thesaid spring being located centrally and in proximity to the pivot of thehinge-plates and the bow-spring t, secured by rivets at one end of theplate e2 of the block and at the other end received in the recess of thecrossbar d, the spring g having the function of moving the block j' awayfrom the faceplate 4 and the spring t' of moving the switch device onits pivots at the posts 10 11 away from contact with the clips 12 13,and we would remark that the bow-spring fi is of greater tension andstrength than the helical spring g-so much so that it is adapted tomaintain the block f in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 until afterthe bars d l) of the switch are removed from contact with the clips 1213 and the parts are brought toward the position Fig. 4, when the springg acts to move the blockfinto the position shown in Fig. 4.

We employ circuit-selectors h, received and moving in the offsetapertures of the block j. These circuit-selectors are each in the formof cup and stem portions, the cup portions being in the larger portionsofthe apertures and the stem portions in the smaller apertures, thatpass through the back face. Helical springs 17 are placed within the cupportions of the circuit-selectors. At one end they bear against thebases of the cup portions and at the other end against the inner surfaceof the plate e2 of the block, and their action is to force the stemportions of the circuit-selectors to project from the surface of theblock f.

A conductor-wire 18 extends from the source of electrical energytocontact with the baseplate 14, a conductor 19 extends from thebase-plate El from the monogram of lamps, and a conductor 2O extendsfrom the base-plate 15 and returns tothe source of electric energy, thevarious circuit wires or conductors 7 extending to the monogram oflamps, so that the electric circuit is complete from the source ofenergy by the conductor 1S, base-plate 14, spring-clip 12, bar ct, post10, base-plate S, hinge-plates c c2, plate e, springs 17,circuitselectors 7L, circuit-wires 7, to the monogram of lamps, from themonogram of lamps by the conductor 19 to the base-plate 9, post 11, barb, clip 18, base-plate 15, and conductor 20, back to the source ofelectric energy.

In Fig. 7 we have illustrated a sample card or ticket 7c withperforations. rlhese perforations are of larger diameter than the stemsof the circuit-selectors or the ends of the circuit-wires 7; but it willbe noticed that the distance between centers of these perforations inall directions agrees exactly with the distance between centers of thecircuit-wires 7 or the stems of the circuit-selectors, and one corner ofthe card 7; is preferably cutoff at an angle, and the receptacle for thecard in the face-plate 4 is also cut off at an angle, so that it isimpossible to insert the ticket except in the one way, which is thecorrect way, for if the ticket were turned over it would not fit, andwhen in position, as indicated, the apertures therein exposepredetermined groups of the circuit-wires 7, so that the stems ofthecircuit-selectors pass through the apertures to electric contact withsaid circuit-wires, and where there are no apertures in the card orticket the stems of the circuit-selectors rest against the face of thecard or ticket, which 'forms an insulating medium or septum between thecircuit-selectors and the conductors.

The parts are in their normal position in Fig. 4, and in the operationof the device a ticket is inserted in the groove 5 or receptacle of theface-plate 4, and the handle is turned downward toward the positionshown in Fig. 2. By this action and for the reasons hereinbeforedescribed with reference to the springs g and t' the circuit-selectorsare brought into contact with the face of the ticket, and where thereare apertures they pass through the apertures and form electric contactwith the circuit-wires 7, and after this relation is established thehandle reaches such a downward position that the bars d D pass betweenthe spring clips 12 13 and the electric contact is made and the circuitestablished, the current passing, as hereinbefore described, through thepredetermined circuit-selectors to the monogram of lamps illuminatingthe numerals or letters predetermined by the ticket or card L'. Theillumination of the numerals or letters is maintained so long as thehand of the operator upon the handle 1G keeps the parts in the positionshown in Fig. 2. lVith the return movement the handle and switch areswung upwardly toward the position Fig. 4, and because of the greaterpower of the springt the circuit-selectors are kept in electric contactwith the wires 7 until the contact between the bars a l) and thespring-clips 12 13 is broken and the electric current shut off, and withthe further upward movement of the handle and bars the spring g acts tothrow the blockf outward into the position Fig. 4, in which the card orticket L is removed and another one having different perforationsinserted to produce with the repetition of the operations a differentilluminated number. These movements may be repeated as frequently asdesired or necessary, and with the employment of tickets or cards havingvarying perforations different combinations or groups ofcircuit-selectors are brought into play to carry out the functions ofthe device.

XVe claim as our inventionl. lIn a switchboard device for illuminatingelectric-lamp signs, the combination with groups of circuit-wires in a'fixed position, of groups of circuitselectors, a movable supporttherefor', means for effecting a predetermined contact of thecircuit-selectors and circuitwires, aswitch for making and breakin g theIOO IIO

electric circuit, means for changing the position of the movable supportof the circuitselectors, means of greater force than the former meansconnected to the said movable support of the circuit-selectors andbearing against the switch device whereby a contact of thecircuit-selectors and circuit-wires is made before the completion of theelectric circuit, and contra, the circuit is broken before theseparation of the circuit-selectors from the circuit-wires,substantially as set forth.

2. In a switchboard device for illuminating electric-lamp signs, thecombination with groups of circuit-Wires in a fixed position, of groupsof circuit-selectors, a movable support therefor, means for effecting apredetermined contact of the circuit-selectors and circuitwires, aswitch for making and breaking the electric circuit, a springforchanging the position of the movable support of the circuitselectors,a second spring of greater strength than the former spring connected tothe said movable support of the circuit-selectors and bearing againstthe switch device whereby a contact of the circuit-selectors andcircuitwires is made before the completion of the electric circuit, andcontra, the circuit is broken before the separation of thecircuitselectors from the circuit-wires, substantially as set forth.

3. In a switchboard device for illuminating electric-lamp signs, thecombination with groups of circuit-wires having their ends in the sameplane and a suitable support therefor, of groups of spring-actuatedcircuit-selectors, a hinged support therefor, a metal Y plate upon thesurface of the support forming electric contact with thecircuit-selectors, lneans for effecting a predetermined contact of thecircuit-selectors and circuit-wires, a switch. for making and breakingthe electric circuit, and springs of varying tension acting between thefixed support of the circuitwires and the switch upon opposite sides ofthe movable support for the circuit-selectors, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

4. In a switchboard device for illuminating electric-lamp signs, thecombination with groups of circuit-wires in a xed position and asuitable support therefor, of groups of spring-actuatedcircuit-selectors, a hinged support therefor, a metal plate upon thesurface of the support forming electric contact with thecircuit-selectors, means for effecting a predetermined contact of thecircuit-selectors and circuit-wires, a switch for making and breakingthe electric circuit, and springs of varying tension acting between thefined support of the circuit-wires and the switch upon opposite sides ofthe movable support for the circuit-selectors, and conductors from asource of electricity to part of the switch device, from the monogram oflamps to another part of the switch device and from the switch deviceback to the source, whereby a complete circuit is formed through theswitch device, the circuit-selectors and circuit-wires and the monogramof lamps, substantially as set forth.

5. In a switchboard for illuminating electric-lamp signs, thecombination with groups of circuit-wires, a support to which the sameare connected in a iixed position, a perforated card or ticket, areceptacle for the same in the support of the circuit-wires, wherebypredetermined circuit-wires are exposed in the apertures of the ticket,of groups of circuit-selectors, a movable support therefor, a switch formaking and breaking the electric circuit, a spring for actuating thesupport of the circuit-selectors to move the same away from thecircuit-wires and a spring of greater tension for supporting the switchin its disconnected position and which acts to make contact of thecircuit-selectors and circuit-wires before the completion of theelectric circuit by the switch, substantiallyas set forth.

6. In a switchboard for illuminating electric-lamp signs, thecombination with groups of circuit-wires, a support to which the sameare connected in a iixed position, a perforated card or ticket, areceptacle for v the same in the support of the circuit-wires, wherebypredetermined circuit-wires are exposed in apertures of the ticket, ofablock of insulating material, groups of circuit-selectors supportedthereby, a plate of metal upon the outer surface of the block ofinsulating material, a hinge connected therewith, a switch devicecomprising parallel blade-bars, baseplates and pivot-supports thereforand springclips and base-plates engaged thereby,a plate forming theother part of the hinge electrically connected to one of theswitch-supports, cross-bars of insulating material connecting theswitch-bars and circuit connections from a source of electricity to theswitch through the hinge to the circuit-selectors, from thecircuit-wires to the monogram of lamps,from the monogram of lamps backto the other side of the switch and from the switch returning to thesource of electric energy, substantially as set forth.

7. In a switchboard device for illuminating electric-lamp signs, thecombination with a suitable support and groups of circuit-wires arrangedin parallel, horizontal and vertical rows at predetermined spaced-apartintervals and connected thereto in a xed position, and a block ofinsulating material having parallel, horizontal and vertical rows ofoffset apertures spaced apart between centers to agree with the centersof the circuit-wires, a plate e2 overlying the outer surface of saidblock and secured thereto, and a plate c connected to the plates e andc2 by a hinged joint and secured to the support of the circuit-wires,circuit-selectors 7L comprising cup and stem portions received in theoffset apertures in the block of insulating material, springs within thecup portions of the circuit-selectors IOO IIO

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With one end bearing against the inner surface of the plate e2, meansfor effecting a predetermined contact of the circuit-selectors andcircuit-wires, a switch for making and breaking the electric circuit,springs of varying tension acting against the support of thecircuit-wires and the switch and upon opposite sides of the hingeddevice supporting the circuit-selectors, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

8. In a switchboard device for illuminating electriclamp signs, thecombination with a suitable support and groups of circuit-Wires arrangedin parallel, horizontal and Vertical rows at predetermined spaced-apartintervals and connected thereto in a fixed position, of a block ofinsulating material having parallel7 horizontal and Vertical rows ofoffset apertures spaced apart between centers to agree with the centersof the circuit-wires, a plate e2 overlying the outer surface of saidblock and secured thereto, and a plate c connected to the plates e ande2 by a hinged joint and secured to the support of the circuit-wires,circuit-selectors h comprising cup and stem portions received in theoffset apertures in the block of insulating material, springs within thecup portions of the circuit-selectors with one end bearing against theinner surface of the plate e2, means for effecting a predeterminedcontact of the circuit-selectors and circuit-wires, a helical spring greceived in sockets provided therefor in the face of the support of thecircuit-wires and in the under surface of the hinged part carrying thecircuit-selectors and acting to separate the block of insulatingmaterial from the base or support, a bow-springt' secured at one end tothe plates e and e2 of the hinge, a switch having blade-bars, pivots andspring-clips, a cross-bar of insulating material against which the freeend of the bow-spring tbears, and an insulating-material handle securedto the switch for actuating the same, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

Signed by us this 8th day of March, 1902.

MORTIMER NORDEN. LUCIEN S. CRANDALL.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, S. T. HAVILAND.

